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My husband and I are planning to move to Adelaide and he will need to find work when we get over. He is a painter and Decorator,filer and does some carpentry. Are there jobs feel for him? And what sort of rate of pay does a painter charge?

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Do you have a visa granted or are you in the process of applying? Your husband sounds like he can turn his hands to lots of things. Not sure what, if any, Aus certification he would need in some of those areas that would make him more appealing to potential employers or enable him to work self employed.

Many things can make a move tough going, the main one IMHO is finding work. I don't know the job market here currently for painters. I see plenty around but no clue on if there is much work to be had. I'd advise having as much saved as you can possibly manage as it could be tough going in the early months. Also the time of year you arrive can mean a slower job market at some times over others.

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I know quite a few painters who have moved here in the past few years. If you are working for someone the rate would be around $25 per hour. If you are registered and working for yourself you can earn between $350 and $450 per day.

I don't know how much work there is in other parts of the city but many established painters in my local area have a backlog of work. My OH works in a paint store. Before that he renovated houses for 20 years and had contracts for multistorey blocks. Many local painters have contacts with local estate agencies and some do work for the housing trust.

It's a bad time of year for exterior work at the moment. A lot of the work cannot be carried out in winter...decks, driveways, roofs etc due to the moisture in winter. Many people are still doing interior reno's and the sales haven't slackened off too much.

There has been a number of ads on this site looking for painters. Some have been private work and others have been looking for painters to work on new housing builds.

Maybe you can arrange to do some work so that it's waiting before you arrive. People nay get a discounted painting job and you will get some Dollars coming in and also local references that you could use for your contractors licence. If you go ahead with the visa let people know a few months before you arrive and you may have work waiting for you...even if it's for an hourly rate.

It would perhaps be a good idea to work for someone for a while, get your contractors licence and quickly pick up the differences in materials that he would encounter. The paints are different but nothing that can't be picked up really quickly.

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Thank you. We are not coming on a skilled migration visa for his painting but he will need to work. He has no formal qualification will this stop him getting work?

Hi Paula,

Sorry for the delay. I didn't know that you have replied.

Lack of formal qualifications may be an issue for many painting companies.

A friend of mine who moved out here almost 2 years ago has only just completed his builders licence registration. He has been working for himself without the licence. The only issue would be if he bodged up the job and they reported him. Then you can be fined. My friend is a joiner but he's doing all types of maintenance and painting work.

Will you be able to support yourself for a period of time without him working? Do you know anyone here in the trade?

The difficult thing is to get established. Once you have done a few jobs and have met a few people it all falls into place. My OH worked for emergency services but painted properties on his off duty time...for over 20 years. Although he doesn't have formal qualifications he still worked here (painting properties) until illness prevented him and he attended the TAFE registration courses. He was due to attend an interview with the licencing board but had to have local references.

What about other employment until he gets registered and established? Does he have forklift truck experience? Here's a weird question but...does he play golf?! Adelaide (like many places) works on a who you know / who you meet...and I see work obtained from all sorts of sources.

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That's right we are coming on my visa but want him to be able to get work you see. Thanks.

The unemployment rate in SA is the highest in the nation and its about to get worse. Australia is also headed for recession, come, but be prepared and have an exit plan. Perhaps he could make some calls prior to coming out to see what the situation is like in his trade.

Good luck.

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The unemployment rate in SA is the highest in the nation and its about to get worse. Australia is also headed for recession, come, but be prepared and have an exit plan. Perhaps he could make some calls prior to coming out to see what the situation is like in his trade.

Good luck.

Employment and Australia's economic fortune is not what is was. Maybe it would be a good idea to put a thread on here asking how many TRADES PERSONS that have moved here in the past 6 months have failed to get employment? Everyone that I know of (have stayed with me) are all in employment. I have family and friends that work in the trades and they are so busy...

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The unemployment rate in SA is the highest in the nation and its about to get worse. Australia is also headed for recession, come, but be prepared and have an exit plan. Perhaps he could make some calls prior to coming out to see what the situation is like in his trade.

Good luck.

Yeah yeah, heard it from you over and over before. Same old lines. Just a concerned citizen putting out a public warning or some other reason you want to warn people off moving here mate?

There is work for tradies Paula.

What type of work are you in? It make take him a while to get work but if hes any good the work will pour in.

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There are lots of places that you can attend for a few hours to get one but it's also available online.

I would be cautious about completing an online version as many employers will not accept it. Also if you attend a class and get chatting to the group/tutors you may find work this way, I know a few people who have landed a job from networking at courses.

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I would be cautious about completing an online version as many employers will not accept it. Also if you attend a class and get chatting to the group/tutors you may find work this way, I know a few people who have landed a job from networking at courses.

That's a good point. My OH did his white card at a venue in Morphett Vale. He also attended the TAFE business licence courses and met loads of really good contacts.

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For the past 3/4 weeks the job supplement in The Advertiser has had several pages full of job adverts for Teachers in the private school system. I think you quoted in another post that 20,000 people had applied for 500 teaching positions, which sounds a lot but when you average it out, it is 40 applications per job. As a comparison a $40k admin job can often receive 200-300 applications, sometimes more. The reality is many jobs now have a large number of applicants.

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Yea, the problem is with the private school jobs, is that it is common knowledge that they almost always have someone lined up. A teacher the school knows, etc. They have to advertise the positions by law.

I agree, many jobs have a large number of applicants. Adelaide does have a high unemployment rate unfortunately :-(

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Thanks for your reply, I am in early years education. My husband is always on the go and he hates sitting around he is very good at woodwork too, although he has more year's painting experience. I heard people mention on here before a out not applying for the white card online, I think there is a one day course to go on. Again thanks for the help.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Paula

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For the past 3/4 weeks the job supplement in The Advertiser has had several pages full of job adverts for Teachers in the private school system. I think you quoted in another post that 20,000 people had applied for 500 teaching positions, which sounds a lot but when you average it out, it is 40 applications per job. As a comparison a $40k admin job can often receive 200-300 applications, sometimes more. The reality is many jobs now have a large number of applicants.

My BIL was one of the many applying for numerous positions I would think. I know the other day he was saying he made it to a short list which had about 50 names on it it turned out but didn't make it to the interview stage. Think he said they had over 200 applicants for the post.

Primary posts do sound be tough to get. Many teachers I know in state primary schools are on temp or short term 1 year contracts that may or may not be renewed for another year. I recently saw the pile of applications for supply teaching at my local school and its huge! Has to have at least 50 applications in it and usually only a handful are ever contacted or needed. It seems that once a particular teacher knows a supply teacher and is happy with them they will come back to them over and over when they need someone and don't venture into the pile more than they have to. And then they recommend their supply teacher to others as and when. Its that old getting known and then who you know thing again.

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Thank you Tamara you have been really helpful, in the UK now you have to have a health and safety certificate and an NVQ so I was wondering you see if it was the same there too you see.

We went out with friends last night. They moved here 2 years ago from West Yorkshire. They are both working and self supporting without using UK funds (still waiting to sell UK property).

He's a joiner by trade but turns his hand to lots of other jobs. He's been working for the 2 years that they have been here...but he only completed his builders licence a few weeks ago. He has so much work that he has offered my OH a job to work with him (mainly painting contracts). My OH works at a hardware store (paint department) and with the weather improving they have been flat out busy. He was offered 3 painting jobs by customers in one weekend! The one job had been quoted at $17000!

It's only an isolated report and not enough to base your future plans on but, there is presently work for good trades people...you do a few jobs or make a few contacts and more work will follow.

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My husband and I are planning to move to Adelaide and he will need to find work when we get over. He is a painter and Decorator,filer and does some carpentry. Are there jobs feel for him? And what sort of rate of pay does a painter charge?

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We went out with friends last night. They moved here 2 years ago from West Yorkshire. They are both working and self supporting without using UK funds (still waiting to sell UK property).

He's a joiner by trade but turns his hand to lots of other jobs. He's been working for the 2 years that they have been here...but he only completed his builders licence a few weeks ago. He has so much work that he has offered my OH a job to work with him (mainly painting contracts). My OH works at a hardware store (paint department) and with the weather improving they have been flat out busy. He was offered 3 painting jobs by customers in one weekend! The one job had been quoted at $17000!

It's only an isolated report and not enough to base your future plans on but, there is presently work for good trades people...you do a few jobs or make a few contacts and more work will follow.